Cosmetic dispensers for mascara and other liquid or pasty cosmetics commonly comprise two-piece assemblies, namely a container and a cap. The container has an open inner volume for retaining a volume of the cosmetic, and the cap has a wand projecting therefrom with a brush or other structure for being dipped in the cosmetic. When dipped in the cosmetic, the brush becomes loaded with the liquid or pasty cosmetic material for application. By a threaded engagement between the cap and a neck of the container, the cosmetic dispenser can be sealed during periods of nonuse.
During cosmetic application, therefore, a user will normally retain the cap in one hand and the applicator in the other to enable repeated dipping and, consequently, the successful application of the cosmetic. However, occupying both hands with the application of the cosmetic is awkward and leaves the user substantially unable to carry out other functions, such as holding a mirror or another cosmetic article. Mascara is commonly applied in such a manner as are other liquid, semi-liquid, pasty or related cosmetics, including lip gloss, concealer, eye shadow, and further cosmetics.
It has thus been a longfelt need in the cosmetics industry to provide a cosmetic dispenser that can be reliably operated with a single hand. Advantageously, a number of skilled inventors have attempted to devise cosmetic operators capable of one-handed operation. However, as the dearth of such devices on the commercial market demonstrates, the creation of a commercially viable structure has thus far not been achieved.
For example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/018865, Carroll discloses a retractable cosmetic applicator that is designed to be capless. The applicator passes from a refracted position to an extended position through an aperture with a front cowling and a valve. The valve is said to substantially seal the aperture when the applicator is in a retracted position thereby eliminating a need for a cap. With that, one handed operation of the device is said to be possible. However, it does not appear that any accommodation is made to address the buildup of backwiped product on and around the aperture as the applicator is extended and retracted. Furthermore, the spring-loaded structure appears to be relatively complex in structure and operation thereby increasing the likely overall cost of manufacture and resultantly increasing the ultimate price that must be paid by the end consumer.
A further longstanding difficulty that many prior art inventors have sought to confront is the proper loading of cosmetic onto the applicator since that proper loading is critical to the efficient application of cosmetics. A related problem known to the art is the undesired buildup of cosmetic material on the tip and body of the dispenser, the rim of the container, and elsewhere, particularly after repeated applications. There has, therefore, been a longfelt need for a cosmetic dispenser that ensures proper loading of the applicator while avoiding unwanted buildup, preferably with excess cosmetic material being returned to the open inner volume of the container.
Notwithstanding the appreciation of such difficulties and needs, inventors of the prior art have been unable to provide an effective and elegant solution to the same. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,689 to Gueret is directed to a makeup unit wherein a cosmetic applicator is retained relative to a cap. A laterally communicating wiper has a plurality of slits communicating radially from an open center portion. With this, the wiper provides a wiping of the side of the cosmetic applicator as it is pulled from within the bottle. However, it would appear that the distal end of the cosmetic applicator would not be automatically wiped whereby the problems of tailing and mascara buildup at the distal end of the cosmetic applicator are not remedied.
For these and further reasons, cosmetic dispensers of the prior art are often messy and inefficient in use. For example, a common problem experienced by users of current mascara dispensers is known as “tailing” where a tail of mascara is left on the distal end of the applicator, such as at the tip of the applicator brush in a mascara applicator. Since the dispensers typically employ a wiper that is generally sized to the diameter of the plastic portion of the applicator wand, the wiper does not engage the “tail” of mascara even as the brush passes through the wiper. As a result, a small blob of mascara is left at the end of the brush. This small blob of mascara can fall from the brush or be undesirably applied to the skin or hair of the user. While experienced mascara users often wipe the end of the brush on the inner portion of the lip of the mascara container, the wiped blob can contribute to increased buildup on and around the rim of the dispenser, on the mascara wand, and elsewhere thereby increasing messiness and waste.
In light of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that there is a need in the art for a cosmetic dispenser that overcomes the disadvantages common to prior art dispensers while permitting efficient one-handed operation in the application of cosmetics.